CdM gets buzzed by the Wolves

The Sea Kings can’t keep up with hot-shooting Northwood, but 5-1 start in league is nothing to be ashamed of.CORONA DEL MAR -- If Friday night’s matchup between the Corona del Mar High boys’ basketball team and Northwood was to be Tim O’Brien’s last time coaching in the Sea Kings gymnasium, his team gave him a nice send-off.

O’Brien, the former Estancia High and Orange Coast College coach, had his Northwood team hitting on all cylinders in its 73-52 Pacific Coast League victory.

Since the Timberwolves and Sea Kings won’t be in the same league next year, this could be the last time he steps foot in the Corona del Mar High gym.

“This place has had the same feel, the same atmosphere since 1986,” said O’Brien, who led Estancia to a CIF title in 1992. “If this is my last time here, it’s a good way to go out.”

Northwood shot the lights out all game long, connecting on nine three-pointers and sinking 16 of 20 free-throw attempts. The Timberwolves (14-6, 6-0 in Pacific Coast League) hit their first 12 free throw attempts of the game and didn’t miss their first one until early in the fourth quarter.

Typical of how the game went, Timberwolves’ center Jerome Chu grabbed the rebound on the team’s first missed free throw and got fouled, then sunk his next two free-throw attempts to widen an already large margin.

Sophomore phenom Zack Zaragoza paced Northwood with a game-high 22 points and Avner Alkhas nailed four three-pointers on his way to 22 points. Chris O’Brien, the coach’s son, added 18 points, mostly by driving to the basket.

“We can shoot it, that was obvious tonight,” Tim O’Brien said. “Zaragoza and Alkhas from outside and O’Brien driving in the paint.”

The Sea Kings took a 6-4 lead when sophomore guard Eric Rask grabbed a rebound and sank a 6-footer. But then the Timberwolves went on a 15-2 run to close out the first quarter, highlighted by Zaragoza’s seven points from outside.

Northwood hit five three-pointers in the first half to none for Corona del Mar. Alkhas, Zaragoza and O’Brien combined for 29 of the team’s 35 first-half points.

“They’ve been a great shooting team this season, and they were a great shooting team tonight,” Corona del Mar Coach Ryan Curry said. “We didn’t shoot well, so we couldn’t stay with them.”

The Sea Kings pulled as close as 35-24 in the third quarter after a steal and a layup by senior Ryan Lance (team-high 14 points), but Northwood’s Wes Parsel (son of Estancia High Athletic Director Tim Parsel) responded with a three-pointer and Corona del Mar was never able to inch closer.

Corona del Mar had more size inside with 6-foot-7 senior Scott Slaughter and 6-7 sophomore Stefan Kaluz, but the team was still outrebounded, 31-26. Slaughter finished with six points and eight rebounds and Kaluz had six points and five rebounds. Zaragoza led Northwood with nine rebounds.

“I thought we’d do a better job on the boards,” Curry said.

Despite the loss, the Sea Kings (12-8, 5-1) had a stellar first half of the league year, especially after finishing near the bottom of the league standings last season.

“We didn’t make the playoffs last year, so these guys haven’t been in a lot of pressure-packed games,” Curry said. “And I think it showed tonight. I told them it’s understandable, but it’s unacceptable, and it won’t happen again.”

Pacific Coast League

Northwood 73,

Corona del Mar 52

Score by Quarters